All of the posts suggesting that the then ARU could have got the Rebels to sell their licence to the ARU were reliant on the Rebels owners agreeing to that.
Knowing the ARU wanted to cut them, why would they? They had all the leverage in that situation even if they were struggling to remain solvent.
For the ARU to have the Rebels as their preferred team over the Force is a matter of debate. Neither was a clear cut choice no matter how much one side thought their team was superior to the other. They could be completely wrong that long term Melbourne is a better market but they also could be right.
It was never a fair fight. The ARU went in with the premise that they were going to cut the Force because it was within their power to do so.
The ARU were underhanded in achieving the outcome they wanted. None of those things are in contention.
What in my opinion hasn't been proven is that the ARU had any reasonable way they could change their mind and push ahead with 5 teams nor that they had a simple path to acquire the Rebels licence and cancel it.
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IMO
"The lady doth protest too much, methinks
"
Throw away the shovel BH.
You have the outcome that by your words you supported and continue to support.
You have got your preferred self serving Chairman, your preferred Team and its continuing debt.
You have alienated and tried to kill the 3rd largest and rapidly growing rugby community in Aust.
You should be pleased, the future is bright.
You don't have a billionaire that was willing to support rugby Aust wide from the grassroots up, and is now a competitor.
It also looks like your major sponsor is probably thinking this arrangement with RA is not long term.
All this under the stewardship of your man clyne and his ego, and he is about to cut and run.
Where to from here? more of the same I guess.
